The Art of Distilling in Sonoma County

Single malt rye

100% MALTED RYE

45% ABV

This is a rich and spicy one of a kind American whiskey. It’s a creamy and mouthwatering whiskey full of rye bread and baking spice flavors, with a sweet nose of maple and light vanilla. Aged in new, heavy char American oak barrels.

What is a ‘single malt rye whiskey’ and why don’t you see more of them? It’s a very difficult whiskey to make. The term ‘single malt’ means that it is a whiskey made from a single malted grain from a single distillery. Most people are familiar with the term for scotch single malts- which are made from 100% malted barley. By law, any whiskey labeled as ‘rye’ whiskey has to be made from a mashbill of at least 51% rye grains and the rest can be any combination of corn, barley, wheat, or whatever. Most people who make rye whiskey will use unmalted rye grains and mix in their own eznymes to convert starches to sugars (to make the fermentable beer mash) or pitch in some malted barley to get this process going. Since malted rye turns into a thick, sticky mess during mashing, many distillers shy away from using it in a higher proportion. Our whiskey is painstakingly crafted the hard way: 100% rye and 100% a unique whiskey experience.

Heirloom corn bourbon

Before prohibition and then the ubiquitous rise of easier-to-grow corn varieties in the 1950’s, the landscape of American diets and spirits involved many different types of corn. Today 99% of all corn grown in america is yellow dent #2 – almost every bourbon is made from this one type and every other corn variety has vanished. But the old varieties have more protein and unique character vs. yellow dent. Like different grape varietals in the wine world, these different corn species have the potential for different flavors in bourbon and there has been a resurgence of old corn species spurned by dedicated farmers and American whiskey makers.

Our Bourbon is made from non-GMO Bloody Butcher and Hopi Blue corn grown in California’s central valley. The Bloody Butcher gives the spirit spicy notes of buckwheat and chili peppers, while the Hopi Blue adds a lot of sweet and earthy flavors. Malted barley and rye are mixed into the blend to round out the spirit and naturally start the enzymatic reaction to produce fermentable sugar from the corn. After distillation, the whiskey is aged in new, heavy char American oak barrels.

It’s more tough to make whiskey from these heirloom corns vs. yellow dent, but the result is a more interesting and dry bourbon with a wonderfully full texture.

Absinthe Blanche

8 HERBS

TRIPLE DISTILLED CALIFORNIA WINE

64%ABV

A good absinthe is a beautiful thing. Developed by monks as a medicine in ancient times, absinthe is a witch’s brew of different herbs meant to harness the healing powers of the herb wormwood by disguising its flavors with a bunch of different herbs – traditionally fennel and anise seed. Mysterious, legendary, and unfairly illegal for decades, absinthe is a fantastic after dinner drink or a great way to start a night of fun.

We wanted our absinthe to be less mint driven from all the anise and more botanical. In California we have access to so many herbs and spices, so we decided to try out everything we thought would work. We distilled 17 different herbs and botanicals separately to discover their individual flavors before settling on 8 different herbs we blended in different ratios in a series of test batches. The base of the spirit is traditional for french absinthes – triple distilled wine. This spirit is delicate and delicious, a more sweet and floral expression.

Our absinthe is blanche – clear – because we do not soak the spirit with any herbs after it comes off the still. This keeps it more light and pristine. It is bottled off the still at 64% abv. Add cold water slowly until it changes color – and enjoy!

Moonshine

WHITE WHISKEY, STRAIGHT FROM THE STILL

50% ABV

Everything distilled comes out of the still a clear spirit. The color in whiskey is a result of aging in charred barrels, but unaged whiskey can have a lot of character and delicious flavor too if done well. Like moonshine today – the historic whiskies of America were all consumed with no barrel aging. Ours is based on our malted rye mash. Full bodied with a light sweetness and notes of almond and light baking spices, it’s a delicious drink for anyone looking for a rich substitute for a vodka or gin.